Perry County Health Department

Public Swimming Pools, Spas, and Special Use Pools


Public swimming pools, spas and special use pools are regulated under the authority of Chapter 3749 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and Chapter 3701-31 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).

 

The public swimming pool rules were created to establish minimum standards, applicable throughout Ohio, for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of these facilities in order to protect the bathing public from injury, minimize the potential for disease transmission, and provide a safe and healthy aquatic recreational environment. These rules do not pertain to private residential pools.

The Ohio Department of Health oversees construction, design, and alteration of all public swimming pools, spas, and special use pools in the State of Ohio.  Once pool construction and design operations are approved by the Ohio Department of Health, the owner/operator must apply to the Perry County Health Department for an Annual Operating License and Inspection.

 

Services provided by the Perry County Health Department Public Swimming Pool program:


  • Collects annual public swimming pool, spa, or special use pool applications and fees for a license to operate.
  • Inspects each licensed public swimming pool, spa, or special use pool twice per licensing year for compliance with Ohio Laws and Rules.
  • Provides educational information and guidance regarding public swimming pools, spas, and special use pools.
  • Completes periodic surveys and reviews of the public swimming pools, spas, and special use pools in order to fulfill the Ohio Department of Health requirements to administer the program.

 

Licensing for Existing Pools - Annual Renewal


(Submit this application to the Perry County Health Department)

 

Record Keeping & Reporting


(Required documentation for existing pools.  Keep on site at licensed pool and submit to the Ohio Department of Health and the Perry County Health Department as needed.)

  • Pool Weekly Operation and Incident Report
  • Public Pool and Spa Injury Incident Report Form
  • Ohio Department of Health: Public Swimming Pool, Spa, Special Use Pool: Injury and Incident Report Form

Online submission link

 

New, Substantial Alteration, or Existing Unlicensed Pools


To become a new public swimming pool, spa, or special use pool, you must submit the following documents to the Ohio Department of Health for review and approval. (Links provided below)

  • Plan Review Application – Submit to the Ohio Department of Health
  • Data Sheet – Must accompany the Plan Review Application; submit to the Ohio Department of Health

Once approved, you must apply for annual licensing to operate, with the Perry County Health Department (see above)

 

Equipment Replacement Notification (ERN)


Need to replace pool operating equipment?

ERN's must be submitted for equipment that was not originally approved by the Ohio Department of Health - OAC 3701-31-05 (D)(4)

 

Services provided by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Public Swimming Pool program:


General information: 614-644-7438 

Construction inspection requests: 614-644-7468

Engineering: 614-644-7527

  • Approves construction and design for Public Swimming Pools and Spray grounds in Ohio.
  • Reviews plans for a new or substantial alteration to pools.
  • Regulates and approves equipment for replacement and use.
  • Inspections construction and provides guidance during the process.
  • Maintains lists of ODH approved automatic chemical controllers, interior surface colors, and lifeguard, first-aid, & CPR training
  • All logos on the interior of a public swimming pool must be approved by ODH prior to installation or application.


Mailing Address:

Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health and Radiation Protection, Public Swimming Pools, 246 N High Street, Columbus, OH 43215

 

Ohio Administrative Code 3701-31-01: Definitions


"Private residential swimming pool" means any indoor or outdoor structure, chamber, or tank containing a body of water for swimming, diving, or bathing located at a dwelling housing no more than three families and used exclusively by the residents and their non-paying guests. For the purposes of this paragraph, "dwelling" includes an individual room or individual suite of rooms at a hotel, motel, or other establishment providing temporary lodging.

 

"Public bathing area" means an impounding reservoir, basin, lake, pond, creek, river, or other similar natural body of water.

 

"Public spa" means any public swimming pool that is typically operated as a smaller, higher temperature pool for recreational or nonmedical uses.

(1) "Smaller" means less than five thousand gallons in volume.

(2) "Higher temperature" means greater than ninety degrees Fahrenheit.

 

"Public swimming pool" means any indoor or outdoor structure, chamber, or tank containing a body of water that is intended to be used collectively for swimming, diving, or bathing and is operated by any person whether as the owner, lessee, operator, licensee, or concessionaire, regardless of whether or not a fee is charged for use. A public swimming pool does not mean any public bathing area or private residential swimming pool. As used within these rules, public swimming pool collectively means a public swimming pool, wading pool, public spa, special use pool or a spray ground, unless specifically identified.

 

"Special use pool" means a public swimming pool containing slides, wave generating equipment or other special features that necessitate different design and safety requirements. "Special use pool" does not include any water slide catch pool or wave generating pool at a public amusement area which is licensed and inspected by the Ohio department of agriculture, pursuant to sections 1711.50 to 1711.57 of the Revised Code. As used in this paragraph:

(1) "Special feature" includes, but is not limited to slides, wave-generating equipment, a zero depth entrance, a slow river, fountains, climbing walls, play features or other water features.

(2) "Public amusement area" means any place at which one or more water slides or wave-generating pools are located unless:

(a) Payment for using the water slide or wave-generating pool is included in the fee charged for using a facility that is not intended primarily for operation of amusement rides, as defined in section 1711.50 of the Revised Code, games, or similar attractions. Facilities not intended primarily for operation of amusement rides, games, or similar attractions include, but are not limited to, campgrounds, municipal parks, hotels, motels, apartment or condominium complexes, athletic clubs, and public swimming pools that also are used for swimming or diving; or

(b) The water slide or wave-generating pool is part of a facility that is not intended primarily for operation of amusement rides, games, or similar attractions and either no payment is required or a separate fee is charged for use of the slide or public swimming pool.

(3) "Spray ground" means a special use public swimming pool for bathing and/or interaction with fountains, sprays, jets and other special features designed without standing water when the fountains are turned off so that users have full body exposure with circulated water.

 

"Wading pool" means a public swimming pool that is a maximum of twenty-four inches deep.